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Help!!!!

I recently purchased a new computer, without a OS. I installed win98 and all went fine I loaded several programs from cd and all continued well. Today I tried to boot the computer but it freezes at the initial win98 screen. Three finger salute does not work, I can reset comp and enter Bios but I do not know enough about this system (BIOS) to get the comp to boot to the OS. Can I dump most of my HD via BIOS???? (Safely) I have all programs currently loaded on cd, so reloading them will be a hassle, but not a problem. Other than the programs loaded I will not loose anything of any importance. Thanks all. I know that if anybody can help me it's you all.

KNOWLEDGE IS OF TWO KINDS: We know a subject ourselves or we know where to find information upon it. SAMUEL JOHNSON

heres some quick tips

now, i don't mean to assume or anything that you don't know this already, but just a little helpful reminder...

After gettina new computer... Load an OS. INstall and all that. NOw with w98 you really have to restart alot if memory serves correct.. well after doing that...
-run a few built in programs to test stability of OS
-restart
-install one program
-restart
-use program
-restart
-install second program
-continues

see, that way you can tell exactly what program did the "bad" thing to freeze it up. now of course that sounds like a lot of trouble, but i would do it anyways, (thats if no one comes up with a solution ).

helpful information would be what programs you installed and specificically the make and model and specs of the computer.

I would format and repartition the whole thing (assuming it's not a Compaq), then reinstall everything from the ground up. I think you will find that a computer never installs quite the same twice. Am I saying this is guaranteed to fix your problem? No.
What kind of machine is it anyway? Since you got it without an OS, I would assume you built it yourself. If it is indeed new, I would recommend you try installing Windows 2000 on it since it's far more stable. You can try this if reinstalling everything doesn't work. You can still keep Windows 98 if you do. If you just boot on the CD and install from there, it will detect Windows 98 and set itself up to dual-boot. Then if you decide you want to save hard drive space by removing one of them, you can pick whichever OS you decide to remove, and delete the corresponding directory.
Windows 98 = Windows
Windows 2000 = WINNT
Real easy. It will leave a lot of unused registry entries, but that's no big deal. I still have registry entries left over from Windows XP RC1.

When the computer i booting up press F8 in your keyboard (this before the windows screen appear ).
you will see an menu
select Safe Mode
Your computer will load with the minimal set of drivers .

Go to system in Control Panel .
See if any HARDWARE is not working properly .
Disable that hardware or reinstall it.

if you dont have problems with your hardaware then check your softwares.Remove any software from start up ,disable any program from loading when windows start .

If you want more
run regedit.exe
then go to Hkey local machine
software
microsot
windows
current version
run (see the programs that run at start up ,in the right)
then see runaservices (see in the right for the programs )

then restart you computer normally

Programs that may cause this
when you install Winroute and you had programs such Wingate ,zone alarm ,internet connection sharing installed before

Norton antivirus,mcaffe

diablo game

i hope this help

bye

If God had intended
Man to program,
we would be born
with serial I/O ports.

Let me start this way, thanks for the reply's. So far Magic I was able to enter the safe mode, being a relative newbie I am not sure of what I am looking at, upon entering system how do I interpret the info to determine if there is a problem. The only thing that I note is under performance that there is a "Compatibility-Mode paging" reduces overall performance. And that drives a and c are using MS DOS compatibility mode file system. My hardware pofile is set as the original.
Here is my current system: I did not build the box myself I had it assembled for me to load an OS and learn about the sytem this a way. It is an AMD ATHALON k7vza running at 1 gig. I hope that this will help in pointing me a little further down to the road to recovery.
Once again thanks
P.S I hope to build my own box sometime in the near future.

KNOWLEDGE IS OF TWO KINDS: We know a subject ourselves or we know where to find information upon it. SAMUEL JOHNSON

hey

i agree with magic try running your system in safe mode..if it does not help then....i think there is some problem with the set upfiles..in win 98...so try reinstalling it ....only delete win98 folder from your programme files..and then reinstall....

for that u don' t have to format the c: drive so don't worry..your softwares will not be hampered...

When you go to the system in SAFE MODE ,open DEVICES , and you will see a list of different devices .
look if there is any of them with a ! .if it is then click on properties of that device and then disable it .

In the properties of all the devices click RESOURCES
see the interrupt request of each of them.
just be sure that two devices dont have the same interrupt request.If they have disable one of them .

if everything is fine with the devices then see the software .
Disable the RUN AT START UP of any software.(+norton )

dont play with regedit.

if is not a problem for you just make a list with your hardware and software and we will help you more detailed.

i hope this help
bye

If God had intended
Man to program,
we would be born
with serial I/O ports.

the possible problem is hardware... true...but not start up files... it comes from experience (ie, i'm pretty sure) that the system won't freeze on the w98 screen if there is aprogram starting up... on the first w98 screen...sometimes it flashes twice... on the second one, after a few seconds is when the first initial start up programs start... and then after that screen disappears and you see your desktop (without icons) it loads the rest... i read this before that it does the first run, or run services at the start up screen and the rest at desktop.. don't know why...thats why w2k is better also, try (when booting) pressing the esc key when the w98 logo appears ...this will remove the picture and let you see anythign that is displayed behind the scenes...
one other thing to try is to edit your autoexec.bat file and remove any line that says @echo off... this will show (behind the picture...remember esc key) all the output of that file if indeed there is a driver conflict.
sorry if thats confusing... i guess i'll need to find the return key more

Hello Magic1: Well after some sleuth work here is what i have found and encountered. Using the esc button on the win98 splash screen it told me that in my c drive
c:\>c:\viaudio\viaudio.com ok, now when I enter the same in DOS i get an immediate illegal operation. when is run query i get the following General exception error
Fault location 09dd:10000
Interupt in service:none OK
Now when I go to Autoexec I get the line above c:\c: ect...... and another line: Set Blaster=a220 i5 D1 P330 OK
Now when I check the DOS directory the viaudio file is not there?
In the startm file it is also not there? Do you have any idea where to find and delete this file? I really appreciate the effort you have put forward and all the help of the fellow antonliners.

KNOWLEDGE IS OF TWO KINDS: We know a subject ourselves or we know where to find information upon it. SAMUEL JOHNSON